Automobile-signal.



O. G. DIEDRICH.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29,1915.

mam/$50 Patented Aug. 28,191?

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

C. G. DIEDRICH.

AUTOMOBlLE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented Aug. 28, 191? Application lllet.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that l, Cnannne C. llrnnnrcn, a citizen or? the United States, and a resident of the city of tit. Louis and of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful llrnprovenaent in Automobile-Signals, ct which the tollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to signals which are designed to be mounted upon a vehicle to be seen from before and behind, and which may be controlled from the drivers seat to display a warning or an intention to stop or turn a corner; and the device shown and described herein is an improvement on the device of Patent ll o. 1,106,1'3l, granted August l, 19%, to Urph W. ()owgill, reissued August 29, 1916, No. llddtl.

The object of the invention is to automatically repeat a visible signal similar to the raisin and lowering of the drivers arm at the si e of the vehicle, by means of a neat, durable device which is controlled by merely pressing a button located on. the steering Wheel or other convenient place.

The invention consists in an arm provided with an electric light at its extremity, and mounted to swing trorn an upright position to a horizontal position, together with means to lock the arm normally in an upright position and to cause the arm to swing up and down when desired.

llurther objects of the invention appear hereinafter in connection with the description of the device shown in the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of the invention; and what the invention consists in is more tully set forth in the appended claims.

Tn the drawin s, wherein the same refer ence characters the several views,

lFigure l is a front view ot a movable signal device embodying the invention mounted on the side of a vehicle, the dotted lines indicating the lowest position to which the arm moves in signaling;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device with. the cover portion or the casin removed, and the extremity of the arm brdlren ofl";

Fig. 3 is a plan view or the device as shown in Fig. 2, with the solenoid partly broken away to disclose the cut-out switch and binding posts;

Fig. i is a vertical section of the device on the lines H in .Figs. 2 and 5;

esignate the same parts in i l'ovember as, will.

llerial Fig. 5 is a plan view oil the base oi casing and parts partly in section on the line 5-5 in l ig. is vertical section of the end ot the signal arm and lamp, on the line in l; a

portion supported therein,

vertical section or lower portion ol he device on the line l-l in l ig. l, with the plunger partly brolreu away to show the cut-out switch.

The device shown in the drawings coinprises a casing having a base portion and a cover 9 for housing the mechanism which operates the swinging signal arm 10.

The drawings illustrate the detail construction oi signal device which is intended to replace one of the side lights at an automobile, and it is contemplated that a similar device will be arranged upon. the opposed side at the automobile body, the signal arms 10 swinging outwardly away from the body ot the automobile in each case. The length oil the arms 10 and location ot the braclrets ll which support the devices upon the automobile are such that, in their horiaontal positions, the tar gets 12 at the eatreniities ot the arms project two or three inches beyond the widest portion of the automobile body, so as to be seen readily from either in trout or to the rear of the vehicle. Each target has chamber its middle for a signal lanop 13. The lamp chamber has openings in its trout and baclr wall closed by white or colored glass lenses la.

The wiring connections upon the vehicle for operating the device are not shown, but it is understood that the wires 15 which supply current to the electric lainp 18 carried by the signal arms are connected to a suitable source of supply upon the vehicle, and are provided with a suitable switch so that the lamps 13 may he lighted or not, as is desired. The wires 16 for supplying current for operating the signal arms are likewise connected to a suitable source of pp y, ton is provided convenient to the drivers hand for controlling individually the arm actuating or signaling mechanism of the two devices, as in the Cowgill patent.

Referring to the drawings, the signal arm 10 is secured on the projecting end of a horizontal shaft 17 which is journaled in bearings in the base portion 8 of the casing. The arm and shalt are hollow, and the wires but a separate switch or push but 15 for supplying current to the lamp 13 are led through them into the base portion of the casing. and through the bracket 11. which is also hollow, to the battery or other source of current on the vehicle body.

The shaft 17 is squared intermediate its ends, and an operating lever 18 is fixed on the squared portion. The free end of the operating lever is bifurcated, and between its two branches a roller 19 is arranged. A solenoid 20 is mounted on a removable top 21 of the base portion of the casing, with its axis vertically disposed above the end of the o ierating lever 18. The lower end of the armature 22 of the solenoid fits between the two branches of the operating lever 18 and .has a slot "23 through it within which the roller 19 works. The armature is guided vertically by the lining of the solenoid, and the slot 223 is long enough to accommodate the lateral movement relative thereto of the roller 15) which swings in an arc of a circle. The lower end of the armature 22 and the lower edge of the bifurcated end of the lever 18 rest in normal position of the arm on a plate 21 in the bottom of the base portion of the casing. The ends of the plate 2% are supported on leather, felt or rubber washers 25 in order to take up the shock caused by the lever and armature striking against the plate at the end of the return movement of the arm to its normal vertical position.

The lever 18 and arm 10 are locked in vertical position by the lower end of the armature 22, one side of which bears against a shoulder or pin 26 on the lower edge of the lever 18 and the opposite edge bears against a stop plate 27 which is attached to the base portion of the casing out of reach of the end of the operating lever, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The slot 23 is wider than the roller 19 in order to permit the armature 22 to lift enough for its lower end to clear the top of the pin 26 before the lower edge of the slot strikes the roller 19 to swing the operating lever. A spring 28 for returning the arm 10 to vertical position is wound around the shaft 17. One end of the spring 28 is attached to the operating lever 18 and the other end is attached to an adjusting arm 29 pivoted on the shaft 17 The adjusting arm is engaged by an adjusting screw 30 which projects down from the top 21 of the base portion of the casing, and thereby the ad justing arm may be set at a suitable angle with respect to the lever 18 to give the right stiffness to the spring 28 for returning the arm to vertical position quickly without slamming it when the current through the solenoid is cut 0E.

Intermittent operation of the arm 10 is secured by means of a two-pole switch in the solenoid circuit. One of the wires 16 leads to a binding post on the switch block 31 which is mounted on the top 21 of the base eeann portion of the device. The contact maker 32 is carried by a vertically sliding slotted bar 33 arranged alongside of the armature, and which is guided at its upper end in the switch block and at its lower end in the stop plate 27. The contact maker 32 is held in frictional contact with the poles 3+1 of the switch by means of a spring pressed screw 35. The circuit is completed through the coil of the solenoid to a binding post mounted in a block 36, to which binding post the other wire 16 leads. The switch block, slotted bar and binding post block 36 are made of hard rubber or other insulating material. The lower end of the armature has a projection 37 which slides in the slot inthe bar 32-3 which carries the contact maker 32. and is adapted to engage the end of this slot near the end of its vertical movement in either direction, thereby sliding the bar and contact maker up or down a short distance at the end of its stroke in either direction. The up movement of the contact maker slides it out of contact with the two poles of the switch at the end of the up stroke of the armature and thereby breaks the circuit; and the down movement of the contact maker slides it across the poles of the switch at the end of the down stroke of the armature and completes the circuit through the solenoid. As long as current is supplied to the arm actuating circuit'wires 16, the switch will intermittently operate to make and break the circuit through the solenoid to cause the arm 10 to swing down to the horizontal and then swing back again to vertical in constant alternation. The upper end of the bore of the solenoid is closed by an adjustable plug 38 which is screwed into it and held in adjusted position by means of a lock nut39. The under side of the plug 38 is covered with a disk 40 of felt or other suitable material for cushioning the upper end of the armature 22 at the end of its up stroke. By adjusting the plug 38 up or down in the end of the solenoid the length of the stroke of the armature can be adjusted to stop the downward oscillation of the arm 10 when the arm reaches the horizontal position.

Thesolenoid, switch and binding post are inclosed and protected in the removable top casing member 9. These parts are mounted on the top 21, which is held to the base portion 8 by screws, and may be removed along with the solenoid and switch for inspection or repair, the armature remaining in the base portion.

It is evident from the drawings and the foregoing description that the device is light and compact, and that its working parts are well protected from the weather and from accidental injury. a The signal arm is locked normally in its vertical position to keep it from swinging or vibrating with the movements oi the vehicle, and the operating parts are cushioned on the return movement to avoid shock and to start them on the next stroke when the signal is in operation. The Weight of the armature holds it in place to lock the signal arm in normal position; and

the weight of the sliding switch carrying bar holds it in its normal position ready for the completion of the solenoid circuit at the push button or switch on the vehicle.

my invention is as a vertically movable member arranged alongside of the intermittently operating means carrying a contact maker, a projection located on the intermittently operating means loosely connected to the vertically movable member whereby the vertically movable member is lifted to break contact, and means for frictionally holding said vertically movable member at its upper and lower ends in all positions of its movement to prevent vibration.

2. An automobile signal comprising in combination With a swinging signal arm, means for locking said arm in normal position, said means comprising a fixed abutmentand a stop on said arm intermittently operating means for swinging said arm away from its normal position, said arm swinging means having a portion adapted to enter between said abutment and said stopin.

operating means for normal position, means tor returning said arm to normal position between the active periods of said intermittently operating means, anal means for automatically actuating1 said intermittently operating means at W1 3. An automobile signal comprising in combination. with a swinging signal arm provided with a bifurcated crank arm carrying a crank pin, an intermittently operating solenoid and armature having a thin head arranged between the bifurcations oi said crank arm, said head having a slot embrac ing said pin'ior swinging said arm away from its normal position, and a stop ongaging said arm in its normal position, said slot permitting suficient movement or said armature to withdraw said stop from on gaging said aim before said pin is moved thereby, a spring for returning said arm to normal position between the active periods of said solenoid, and means for automatically actuating said intermittently operating solenoid at will. a. An automobile signal comprising swinging arm provided with a crank and a solenoid provided with an armature loosely embracing said crank for periodically swinging said arm, a casing for said armature, said casing supporting said swinging arm and having a resilient stop member for said crank to butt against in normal position, said stop member also serving to cushion and position said armature, a lock on said armature for said arm, a stop on said arm cooperating with said lock, and means controlled by said armature for actuating said solenoid to move said armature to unloclr said arm and actuate said crank.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 27th day of November, 1915.

CHLES G. DIEDRICH. 

